Fatalities reported in illegal mining incidents in Eswatini and Zambia

Fatalities have been reported in two separate illegal mining incidents in Eswatini and Zambia.

In Eswatini, a 28-year-old man, Clement Mabuza, died after a mine shaft collapsed during an illegal gold mining expedition at the Malolotja Nature Reserve. Mabuza was part of a group of seven men who entered the reserve illegally following rumors of gold deposits in the mountains. His body was recovered following a search operation involving police, emergency personnel, and community members.

In Zambia, three illegal miners died after loose soil collapsed at a Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) dumpsite in the Chingola District. The incident occurred on September 23, 2026, when a group entered the area to scavenge for stones suspected to contain copper ore. Despite warnings from an excavator operator regarding the unstable soil, the collapse occurred as miners attempted to collect stones. Two victims, aged 17 and 18, died upon arrival at the hospital, while a third victim, aged 20, was later retrieved from beneath the soil.